One of the biggest shows to premiere in 2016 was the Netflix original series Stranger Things. Set in the backdrop of the early 1980s, this sci-fi/horror is basically The X-Files meets E.T., with a dash of The Goonies thrown in for good measure. It was announced in August that the show is set for a second season, which is expected to premiere some time in 2017. But before I can genuinely get excited #Netflix's next installment, I have a few lingering questions after watching the first season.

1. Why Did Barb Die Before Will?

Fan-favorite Stranger Things siren, Barb. [Credit: Netflix]

If you are like many angry viewers, the mistreatment of fan-favorite character Barb is still keeping you up at night. You have posted #JusticeForBarb across your social media. You’ve posted missing posters around your neighborhood in protest of her untimely death. Ok, maybe not. However, Barb undoubtedly shined in her brief time on Stranger Things. Who else could get away with those high-waisted stonewashed jeans? Sadly, after a brief glimmer of ’80s fashion radness, we saw her killed soon after her abduction from the pool. I find it interesting that poor Barb’s eternal flame was extinguished almost immediately. And yet, young Will managed to survive against the odds, hiding out in his fort in the Upside Down. Great hiding skills can’t be the only reason he survived that long. So, what gives? Pro-Barb fans need to know!

2. How Messed Up Is Will?

Stranger Things's Will, in pretty poor shape. [Credit: Netflix]

Speaking of Will, he may not be as safe as we thought. We spent so much time invested in watching these kids rescue Will that we never really took into account what he has been through. We only got quick glimpses into Will being in the Upside Down, and don’t get to experience his point-of-view. When Joyce and Chief Hopper found him, he was attached to a wall, with a long tentacle shoved down well into his body. In the final episode, we saw him go into the bathroom and have a PTSD flashback of being in the Upside Down. Not only that, we saw him cough up a slug-like creature, and watched it slither down the drain. Ew. Are there more slugs in him? What exactly did he experience — and, more importantly, what did he bring back with him?

3. Are There More Demogorgons or Other Creatures?

The creature formerly known as the Demogorgon. [Credit: Netflix]

We never fully got an explanation of what the Demogorgon was, where it came from, or why it exists in the Upside Down. It was just the evil monster that kidnapped our beloved Barb and Will. When I first saw this hideous snarling creature, I had immediate Alien flashbacks. I also saw plenty of parallels with the anime Parasyte, including the creature’s Venus flytrap mouth.

Actually, we still don’t know what the creature from Stranger Things is called. Demogorgon was just the name the kids gave it, based on the monster in their Dungeons & Dragons game. Regardless of its real name, we need to know if there are more like it — or maybe even uglier, nastier relatives. As Joyce and Hopper were exploring the Upside Down, we see what looks like a hatched egg. This is surely a sign of more creatures to come!

On a side note, the sight of Winona Ryder examining that egg gave me major flashbacks to Alien: Resurrection. And we all know how that happened with those eggs, right?

4. Why Is Nancy Back With Steve?

Steve and Nancy: 2016's least favorite couple? [Credit: Netflix]

This isn’t one of those burning questions that will redefine the show it's answered, but…what is going on? Steve is a straight-up jerk and bully. He tormented Jonathan throughout the first half of the series. He broke his camera and mocked him at every chance. If that weren’t enough, when he saw Nancy and Jonathan together in her room, he then proceeded to call her the town whore on a theater marquee. Of course, after that, he felt somewhat guilty about he did, and tried to make amends. He took some major league swings at the Demogorgon when Nancy and Jonathan were trying to trap it. But this whole plot was building to Nancy and Jonathan getting together, not to Nancy getting back with the '80s version of Park and Recreations’ Jean-Ralphio. Oh Nancy, we need you to do better.

5. Did Dr. Brenner Get Killed?

Dr. Brenner, in all of his creepy glory. [Credit: Netflix]

I can’t honestly say that I was sad to see Dr. Brenner get jumped by a Demogorgon. That mad scientist had been torturing Eleven for some time. But if he's been removed as the antagonist of the story, who will replace him? I have a feeling, however, that Papa is not dead. We saw the creature attack him, but there was no body. We must always see the body! He wasn't mentioned after the attack either, but we know the “bad men” are notorious for secrets and deception.

6. Where Did Chief Hopper Go With The “Bad Men”?

Hopper remains one of the biggest mysteries in 'Stranger Things'. [Credit: Netflix]

Speaking of secrets: where exactly did Hopper sneak off with the “bad men”? In the final episode, we see him leave the police station and get into their car. We know he made a deal with them earlier in the show, in exchange for the location of the kids and Eleven at the school. But what other bargaining chip could he have offered? I became quite suspicious of his motives after that scene, and his departure with the “bad men” has just reinforced my concerns. We are keeping an eye on you, Hopper.

What are you most looking forward to discovering in Stranger Things Season 2? Let me know in the comments below.